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Oregon tops Kansas State in Chip Kelly's possible finale

Jeff Metcalfe, USA TODAY Sports
11:27 a.m. EST January 4, 2013

Oregon Ducks running back Kenjon Barner rushes the ball in the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Oregon defeated Kansas State 35-17.(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

Oregon beat Kansas State 35-17

De'Anthony Thomas had 195 total yards

Oregon scored the first 1-point safety in major college football since 2004

For 46 glorious wins in your four years, taking Oregonians to all but the pinnacle of college football. And for returning to the scene of that one shortfall to razzle if not dazzle for a 35-17 thumping of No. 6 Kansas State in the 42nd Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

You'll be missed at Oregon, Chip Kelly, should you leave to see if the changing NFL is ready for your blur offense, but certainly not forgotten. Not at a place that once suffered through eight consecutive losing seasons but now can boast about consecutive Bowl Championship Series wins and three top-five national finishes in a row.

"We want Chip," the Oregon faithful chanted at University of Phoenix Stadium, where they were outnumbered by Kansas State fans in a crowd of 70,242. Those who came from Eugene, Ore., no doubt included many who were stunned into silence here two years ago when Auburn won the BCS Championship Game 22-19 on a game-ending field goal.

The numbers never really added up for the Wildcats (11-2) after Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas returned the opening kickoff 94 yards, capped by a 2-point conversion run by defensive end Dion Jordan.

The deficit grew to 15-0 by the end of the first quarter, more points than No. 3 Oregon (12-1) scored in its only loss of the season, 17-14 to Stanford in overtime Nov. 17. Kansas State chased hard to catch up and almost did so late in the first half.

Then, as at the outset, the Ducks struck like lightning with a 46-second drive after a missed field-goal attempt in a 10-point swing putting the Wildcats in an inescapable 22-10 hole.

"Our players won the game for us," Kelly said. "I can't say enough about our defense. It was a heck of a game. We were fortunate to come out on top. We lost to a real good Stanford team, but our guys know we've got to come back. We came out the next week and got ourselves to a fourth BCS game. It was about finishing and sending the seniors out the right way."

History says that scoring on the opening kickoff in a bowl here is no guarantee of victory.

Florida shrugged off Ted Ginn Jr.'s 93-yard stunner at the start of the 2007 BCS Championship Game to rout Ohio State 41-14.

But when it's high-scoring Oregon going to the house in the first 12 seconds — Thomas making a few moves then breaking away down the sideline — it's trouble for the unfortunate opponent.

"My role was to be a momentum builder and a game changer," said Thomas, who had 314 all-purpose yards and a 91-yard touchdown run in last year's Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin. "I just wanted to get to the edge fast and celebrate with my team."

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said Thomas' touchdown "obviously puts you in a compromising situation. We had a chance to come away from it, even though it was seven points we gave up in a heartbeat. It was a major play in the ballgame."

The first blow, though, did not fell Kansas State.

The Wildcats maintained possession for 21:09 of the first half and were lined up on the right hash for a 40-yard field-goal attempt late in the first half to pull within two points.

That after the Ducks had failed on a fake punt at midfield. Kansas State took advantage by driving to a fourth-and-1 at the Oregon 18-yard line. The Wildcats lined up in what quarterback Collin Klein said afterward was an attempt to draw the Ducks offside with a hard snap count, only for a false-start penalty to be called instead on tackle Cornelius Lucas.

Anthony Cantele missed his longer field-goal attempt wide left, leaving Oregon one minute on the clock, more than enough time to deflate all the defensive work done by Kansas State after Thomas' return.

With their stars stymied, the Ducks turned to tight end Colt Lyeria, who caught passes for 23 and 17 yards from Marcus Mariota. Then Mariota threw to a wide-open Kenjon Barner, and the senior running back cruised 24 yards into the end zone.

Seventy-seven yards in five plays over those decisive 46 seconds.

"I would concur that had a significant impact on the outcome," Snyder said. "By same token, going down 10, even though that took momentum away, we still felt we had the appropriate opportunity to finish the game the right way. But it was a big swing. No guarantee we would have scored. It was mistakes like that that were instrumental in where we were in the first half. We had our opportunities."

But Oregon scored the first 10 points of the second half, including one on a rare one-point safety after Kansas State blocked an extra-point kick but was tackled in the end zone trying for a return.

Mariota and linebacker Michael Clay were named Offensive and Defensive Player of the Game, respectively.

Mariota passed for 166 yards and two touchdowns, and he rushed for 62 yards and another score. Senior Clay had a team-high nine tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack.

Kansas State suffered its fifth consecutive bowl loss since beating Arizona State 34-27 in the 2002 Holiday Bowl.

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